


(1) new notification

by ailurea



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fans & Fandom, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Artist Keith (Voltron), Fluff, M/M, Online Friendship, Social Media, Writer Shiro (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:14:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23100790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ailurea/pseuds/ailurea
Summary: Atlas is an amazing Svenkira writer who Keith's had a crush on for the better part of the last two years. Keith's happy to pine from afar, but then he gets assigned to Atlas for the Valentine's Exchange, and it's the start of a beautiful friendship... and maybe something more.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 143
Kudos: 595
Collections: Sheithlentines 2020





	(1) new notification

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sepiacigarettes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sepiacigarettes/gifts).



> for wonderful abbey for sheithlentines! this prompt was so much fun to work with, and there was so much i wanted to do with it and not nearly enough time in the world to do it all;; i really hope you enjoy this ♥

**ALTAS** @starryatlas  · 6/15/18   
In Every Universe | #svenkira • 36k • E  
Voltron wins the war, but at a cost: Sven’s soul is torn apart and scattered across the multiverse. But Akira’s determined to save him—as many universes as it takes.  
archiveofourown.org/works/xxxxxx

**k** @kk0605 · 6/15/18  
@starryatlas There are no more tissues in the house and my roommates are making fun of me. Worth it. Amazing as always Atlas

**ATLAS** @starryatlas · 6/15/18  
@kk0605 thank you k, that really means a lot coming from you :)

**ATLAS** @starryatlas  · 8/10/18   
you ever see art that makes you just want to smile forever?? sorry for the RT spam but all of k’s art does that for me and it's really what i need right now. thanks k for everything you've brought to the fandom 🖤🖤🖤

**k** @kk0605 · 8/10/18  
❤️❤️❤️

* * *

Keith groans and drops his head against the coffee table, and does it again for good measure once the first impact doesn’t seem to jar any words out of his brain at all.

He’s already spent weeks agonizing over the art. All he has to do is post it, which should be the easy part, but thinking of what he could possibly say to Atlas is not easy at all. He needs something memorable, but not weird. Friendly, but not desperate.

The empty Twitter box sits on the screen, mocking him.

 _What’s happening?_ Twitter says.

Nothing. His brain is an empty void.

“Oh boy.” Hunk, who’s been studying next to Keith, leans over and pats his shoulder. “How’s it going, buddy?”

Keith grunts.

“Are you still working on that post?” Pidge says from the couch across from him, and groans when he doesn’t respond. “Keith, what the fuck, it’s been an hour.”

Keith grumbles and makes a vague motion. “Words.”

“Dear Atlas,” Lance says, sweeping his arms into Pidge’s space and making her whack him. “Happy Valentine’s Day, I want to make out with you like Sven makes out with Akira. Bam, done!”

“Yeah, no,” Keith says. Too accurate. Why did he ever let them find out about his crush on Atlas, again?

Right. He didn’t. Pidge is just a Twitter stalker.

“Maybe just try to keep it simple,” Hunk says. “You know, _happy Valentine’s, here’s your gift_.”

Keith sighs and pulls himself back to his laptop. “It just always sounds awkward.”

“I can look after you have something?” Hunk says.

Better him than the other two. Pidge writes fic and hangs around in some of the same servers as Atlas. Lance is a self-proclaimed Big Name Commenter and sticks his nose literally everywhere. Hunk, on the other hand, isn’t even on Twitter enough to really know who Atlas is. 

Keith puts his fingers on the keyboard and forces himself to type.

**k** @kk0605  · 2/14/20   
Hey @starryatlas, I’m your Valentine for @svenkiraxchange this year! You asked for kisses and my favorite SvenKira kiss is from your fic “a drop of starlight” so… I hope you like it. Happy Valentine’s!  
Art of Sven and Akira from sitting side-by-side on the edge of a desert cliff. It’s nighttime, and the sky is dark and painted with stars and Sven and Akira are bathed in moonlight. They have their arms around each other, kissing softly, and between them is a ring box, sitting open and empty. There’s a gleaming silver band on Akira’s finger.

“Have I told you how much I love this art?” Hunk says, clasping his hands together. “It’s so good, Keith.”

“Oh, uh, thanks,” Keith says, shifting uncomfortably. He never knows how to accept compliments on his art, much less when spoken to him. “What about the message?”

“C’mon, Keith, Atlas isn’t even going to pay that much attention to the message,” Pidge says. “You’ve been working on that piece for like a month so just post it already! You only have a few hours left if you wanna do it on Valentine’s. It might already be over for him.”

“It’s not, he’s also in California,” Keith says, then cringes. Does that make him sound like a stalker?

“Oh, buddy,” Hunk says again, and pats his shoulder. “It’s gonna be okay. You guys are friends, right?”

“He’s friends with everyone,” Keith says, folding himself onto the table.

Yeah, they’ve been mutuals for over two years now—not that Keith is counting—but they haven’t done much other than leave supportive comments on each other’s stuff. Keith tries to leave a comment on every post of Atlas he sees, and Atlas responds to most everything Keith posts, too, but Keith doesn’t read too much into that—Atlas seems to respond to everyone, and everyone seems to like him.

So sure, they’re friends, but they’re not _friends_ friends.

Not for the first time, Keith wonders what life would be like if he were a more sociable person. Maybe he would’ve continued the DM conversation after that one time Atlas gave him a heads up on an Instagram reposter. Maybe they’d send each other cat pictures.

Maybe he’d know what to write for this fucking message.

“Oh!” Lance says loudly from right next to him. “What’s this button do?”

Keith jerks his head up just in time to see Lance hit the _Tweet_ button, and he stares in horror as the box vanishes and the tweet reappears on top of his timeline.

“I will murder you,” Keith says, yanking his laptop away. Notifications are already coming in, but it’s fine, it’s not like he hasn’t deleted tweets because of typos before.

**allura** @alteanallure  · 2/14/20   
i heard a scream and i thought someone was being murdered but it was just @starryatlas opening his gift from @kk0605 😔

**ATLAS** @starryatlas · 2/14/20  
@alteanallure you come into my house on the day my daughter is to be married—

**allura** @alteanallure · 2/14/20  
@alteanallure @starryatlas i believe you have invited this upon yourself :)

Well, fuck, too late.

“Keith,” Hunk says from next to him. “I think you need to breathe.”

What he needs to do is kill Lance and hide the body.

Which he’ll do after he sees Atlas’s comment. Because Atlas is not the type of person to drop a like on a gift and run; he’s going to say something. So Keith sits on the screen, refreshing each new reply, waiting anxiously until—

There. Atlas’s icon—Keith’s art, of a moonlit Sven—pops up on the screen, and Keith swears his heart stops beating.

**ATLAS** @starryatlas  · 2/14/20   
@kk0605 wow… WOW i don’t even have words right now?? this is amazing k, i love it so much!! you know i always love how you draw them and this is actually one of my favorite scenes i’ve ever written so it means a lot to me that you decided to draw it. and THE RING!

**ATLAS** @starryatlas · 2/14/20  
@kk0605 sorry i’m just having trouble finding the right words right now, i’m that in love with everything. i really can’t tell you how much this means to me, thank you so much k. happy valentine’s day :)) ❤️🖤

“Well?” Pidge says.

“He likes it,” Keith says, and objectively he thinks of course Atlas would like it, but it’s still a relief to see.

“Told ya so,” Pidge says. “Now stop worrying already, geez.”

“I’m not worrying,” Keith says, and then he sees his newest notification and his heart rate spikes. “Shit, he just DMed me.”

Okay, maybe he’s worrying a little.

ATLAS

@starryatlas

**ATLAS** (10:12pm)  


hey just really wanted to tell you again how much i love your gift, i was beating myself up for just putting a kiss on my wishlist but then you came here with THAT and i’m still blown away, thank you so so much!!

“So are you gonna message him back or just stare?” Pidge says. “Because this is getting kind of sad.”

Keith groans and picks up his laptop. “I can’t do this here.”

“Yeah, okay, go have your private time!” Lance calls out as Keith trudges to his room. “Ow, what, Pidge!”

“Don’t be gross,” Pidge says.

“You can do it, Keith!” Hunk cheers after him.

Keith shuts the door to his room and climbs onto the bed.

Yeah, he can do this. He can have a conversation. With Atlas. Who he’s had a crush on from the very first fic he read.

This is fine.

With shaking fingers, he reaches over to the keyboard.

**k** (10:18pm)  


Don’t worry about it. It was an honor to draw for you, I really love all of your fics

That was probably too brief, but if he doesn’t just send a message, he’s going to lose his nerve so he just commits and tries not to think too hard about it.

**ATLAS** (10:19pm)  


haha i noticed ;)

sorry i don’t mean that in a mean way, i just always notice and really appreciate all of your comments on everything

omg sorry i sound like such an asshole paying attention to your comments lol forget i said that

**k** (10:21pm)  


No, that’s okay. I’m glad you enjoy them, I always feel like I ramble a lot. Idk

Not to be a cliche but your fics helped me through a really hard time and I don't think I've ever been able to fully express how much you mean to me

Your fics I mean

Sorry this really isn't coming out right

**ATLAS** (10:23pm)  


no no

no not at all omg it means a lot to me to hear you say that actually

and i really really appreciate your comments, all of them, even if i reply like 2 weeks late sometimes

sorry ><

**k** (10:24pm)  


It’s okay, I don’t really expect a reply when I write them. I just want you to know that someone’s reading and appreciates everything you’re doing, that’s all. Your writing means a lot to people

To me

**ATLAS** (10:25pm)  


that’s

i don’t even know what to say fhgjslkghf

that’s really sweet of you k, thank you :)

**k** (10:26pm)  


I love everything you write so

Figured I should let you know that

**ATLAS** (10:26pm)  


i’m just overwhelmed rn seriously

thank you so much k

i mean it

🖤🖤🖤

**k** (10:27pm)  


❤️❤️❤️

* * *

**ATLAS** @starryatlas  · 2/16/20   
this is a PSA that @alteanallure is the most beautiful, kind, and gracious individual to ever bless the planet with their presence and i am but her humble servant

**ATLAS** @starryatlas · 2/16/20  
@starryatlas it also says in my blackmail message to say that this post wasn't because i lost a bet so no i didn't lose a bet

**allura** @alteanallure · 2/16/20  
@starryatlas it sounds like you don't completely understand the position you're in here...

**k** @kk0605 · 2/16/20  
@starryatlas Wow, she must have some really good dirt on you

**allura** @alteanallure · 2/16/20  
@starryatlas @kk0605 oh do I ever :))

**ATLAS** @starryatlas · 2/16/20  
@kk0605 @alteanallure ALLURA NO

**allura’s himbo** @starryatlas  · 2/16/20   
fuck

* * *

**k** @kk0605  · 2/29/20   
Happy birthday @starryatlas! We’re lucky to have you :) #svenkiraSimple, background-less drawing of Sven and Akira. Akira is carrying Sven on his back, piggyback style, and Sven is leaning over Akira’s shoulder to kiss him. One of Sven’s legs appears to be wrapped in a brace. They’re both laughing.

**k** @kk0605 · 2/29/20  
@kk0605 This is from Atlas’s fic to have, to hold which you need to read if you haven’t already. Sven gets injured and Akira does whatever it takes to take care of him, including carrying him around everywhere. It’s so soft: archiveofourown.org/works/xxxxxxxx

**Xan 🌌** @xantastic · 2/29/20  
@kk0605 God they look so happy and in love! I’m never going to get over how you draw them 🥺 💕

**allura’s himbo** @starryatlas · 2/29/20  
@kk0605 ?!?!?!?!?

**allura’s himbo** @starryatlas · 2/29/20  
@kk0605 @starryatlas K OMG WHO LET YOU COME AFTER MY HEART LIKE THIS

**k** @kk0605 · 2/29/20  
@kk0605 @starryatlas :) ❤️

**allura’s himbo** @starryatlas · 2/29/20  
@kk0605 @starryatlas 🖤🖤🖤

* * *

“Wow,” Lance says, and his tone is part awe and part disgust, “is this what Mullet looks like when he’s all lovey? I feel like I’m in some alternate universe. I didn’t even know your cheeks moved like that, dude.”

Keith throws a pillow at him. “Shut up.”

But even Lance can’t bring his mood down. It’s been a few weeks since Valentine’s, and, somehow, Keith and Atlas are still talking. He’s felt like he’s left the conversation trailing awkwardly more than a few times, but Atlas just picks it back up again in a way that feels effortless.

Actually, all of their conversations just feel effortless. 

It’s a new feeling for Keith, who usually spends the entire getting-to-know-you phase not having any idea how to hold a conversation with someone he doesn’t really know and then the whole thing sputters and dies before it can really even start. Even his friendships with Hunk, Pidge, and Lance feel more like they started from forced proximity more than anything else.

Not with Atlas, though.

Atlas could spend his time talking with anyone, but he’s here talking to him. To Keith.

“Dude,” Pidge says. “You just sighed like a regency romance heroine.”

“What?” Keith says. He doesn’t remember sighing, and he feels like he would.

“No, you didn’t,” Hunk says. “But you kind of emoted it, like, Keith-style.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We are talking about how you look like you’re literally about to swoon and it is really fucking weird,” Lance says, then squawks. “Pidge, what the fuck, why is your elbow so pointy?”

“What Lance means to say,” Pidge says, “is that we’re happy for you.”

“I’m not swooning,” Keith says.

“I said _about to_ ,” Lance says.

“We love you, man,” Hunk says, “but also we’ve seen you swooning over Atlas for like two years now. Can’t we be happy that your feelings are finally being returned?”

“It’s not like that,” Keith says. “It’s just an artist/writer crush. Mutual respect for each other’s art. Not… swooning.”

“You have been messaging him twenty-four seven since Valentine’s,” Pidge says. “When’s the last time you even texted your mom?”

“My mom has a program that watches the livestream video from that creepy statue in the courtyard and sends her a clip every time I pass by,” he says. “I wave to it for her. I’m pretty sure that fulfills some kind of texting quota.”

Pidge blinks. “Okay, that’s pretty sick. Think she’ll share that program with me?”

“Maybe if we’re still friends after we graduate,” Keith says. “Which requires you to stop giving me shit about Atlas. We’re just friends, all right?”

“Question,” Pidge says. “Does this hold even after you inevitably get together?”

“I’m taking offense to the word _inevitably_ ,” Keith says.

“I’m just saying,” Pidge says.

Keith turns to Hunk. Hunk is reasonable. Hunk will agree with him.

Hunk just shrugs. “Sorry, bud. I have eyes.”

“Mood,” Lance says.

“We’re not getting together,” Keith says, but it’s a lost cause. He can tell from his roommates’ expressions that absolutely none of them believe him.

Whatever.

Atlas is just being friendly, and they are just friends, and they are going to continue to be just friends. No one else has to believe him for it to be true.

* * *

allura’s himbo

@starryatlas

**k** (3:46pm)  


So how much longer is Allura going to make you keep that as your dn?

**allura’s himbo** (3:49pm)  


as long as she wants 😔

she really has me good

**k** (3:50pm)  


Whatever she has on you must be really, really good

Are you sure you’re not in trouble?

**allura’s himbo** (3:51pm)  


nah it’s not anything that serious haha

but if you find out what it is i’m going to die of embarrassment so 🙃

**k** (3:51pm)  


Lol I’m not going to judge you

I’m not asking you to tell me, just letting you know you don’t have anything to worry about

**allura’s himbo** (3:52pm)  


i really appreciate that!

but i will 1000% die 🙃

**k** (3:52pm)  


Lol as long as it’s not actually a big deal

You and Allura seem pretty close?

**allura’s himbo** (3:54pm)  


yeah, we've been friends for a long while actually! since before voltron

she got me into it so you can blame her for everything

**k** (3:55pm)  


Haha, you mean thank her?

**allura’s himbo** (3:55pm)  


that too i guess :P

but yeah we go way back, we went to school together and we actually live pretty close now so we’re at each other’s place a lot

actually it’s kind of a funny story

i’m still not exactly sure how it happened but one time before we met irl she was complaining to me about a problem set she was doing, and she asked me for help bc we were the same major

so she sent the problem to me and it was the same as one from a problem set i’d just finished a few hours before

**k** (3:57pm)  


That's a pretty big coincidence

**allura’s himbo** (3:57pm)  


that's what we said!

we thought for sure it was just we had the same textbook the first time, but when it happened again i asked her for her prof’s name and

well, guess who always sat in front of me in class

**k** (3:58pm)  


No way

**allura’s himbo** (3:58pm)  


i’m serious!! it was so wild

before we found this out she apparently made fun of my hair once in dms

like “haha this guy in my class has hair like a skunk”

IT WAS ME

MY HAIR’S LIKE A SKUNK

**k** (4:01pm)  


Omg?

Wait but is your hair really like a skunk?

**allura’s himbo** (4:02pm)  


don’t laugh but grad school made me prematurely white-haired so definitely not anymore

**k** (4:02pm)  


Oh that sucks

**allura’s himbo** (4:02pm)  


yeah

but i mean maybe it used to be a little more skunky? why don’t you be the judge

if you’re ok with a pic?

“Fuck.” Keith drops his phone on his face, and it lands solidly on his nose.

A picture of Atlas. Atlas is going to send a picture. That’s like next-level friendship with someone like Atlas who never, ever puts pictures of himself on his fandom social media.

Keith scrambles to reply, and since one hand is busy massaging his nose and the other is having a minor freakout, he has to retype his message three times.

**k** (4:01pm)  


Yeah that's fine with me

**allura’s himbo** (4:01pm)  


just fine? :(

**k** (4:02pm)  


I would love to see your beautiful face

Is that better?

**allura’s himbo** (4:02pm)  


much :))

Then a picture comes through, and Keith drops his phone on his face again, because Atlas is hot and—

Okay, it’s not like Keith had any reason to believe Atlas wouldn’t be hot, but he’s considered the facts objectively. From his posts, Atlas is clearly a certified Adult with a stable job, one of the best writers Keith has had the pleasure of reading, and one of the kindest humans Keith has ever met in his entire life. It’s not fair to the rest of the world if Atlas has all of that going for him, and also looks like he could be a supermodel.

Maybe he looked too quickly. Maybe he just caught a glimpse and filled in a supermodel appearance for Atlas’s supermodel personality. 

Keith steels himself, picks up his phone from where it’s resting half on his chin and half on his sternum, and stares at the picture again for at least a solid minute.

Yeah, no.

Atlas is fucking hot.

And also messaging him.

**allura’s himbo** (4:06pm)  


so, skunk or not?

you still there k?

**k** (4:14pm)  


YES

Sorry caps

I’m still here

**allura’s himbo** (4:14pm)  


haha thought i scared you off for a minute there

**k** (4:15pm)  


You’re just

Really hot

I didn’t expect it

Wait I didn’t mean it like that

**allura’s himbo** (4:16pm)  


HAHA

i’m flattered, thank you 🖤

i mean that's a lot better than the other way around :)

so what do you think?

**k** (4:17pm)  


You really want me to tell you in detail how hot you are?

**allura’s himbo** (4:17pm)  


wow uh i meant for the skunk thing

but i’m all ears if you wanna talk about that other thing ;)

**k** (4:18pm)  


Gshshjdjkdk

**allura’s himbo** (4:18pm)  


haha sorry sorry just messing

i’ve never seen you keysmash before!

**k** (4:19pm)  


I save it for special occasions

**allura’s himbo** (4:19pm)  


aww i’m special? :)

**k** (4:20pm)  


You already know you are

**allura’s himbo** (4:20pm)  


🖤

**k** (4:20pm)  


…

❤️

* * *

**ATLAS** @starryatlas  · 4/3/20   
look, you all know i don’t like getting involved in discourse so i’m only going to say this once:  
canonically, akira has a long alien tentacle dick and whenever svenkira have sex they are both the fucker and the fuckee

**Robin!** @stardropdream · 4/3/20  
@starryatlas wow you’re absolutely right

**ATLAS** @starryatlas · 4/3/20  
@starryatlas @stardropdream you can’t argue with canon 😔

**Faia** @FaiaSakura · 4/3/20  
@starryatlas Wait so are you saying that when Sven is fucking Akira, Akira is also fucking him… ?

**ATLAS** @starryatlas · 4/3/20  
@starryatlas @FaiaSakura exactly

**Faia** @FaiaSakura · 4/3/20  
@starryatlas @FaiaSakura Just checking, carry on

**k** @kk0605 · 4/3/20  
@starryatlas I can’t tell if I should laugh or cry oh my god

**ATLAS** @starryatlas · 4/3/20  
@starryatlas @kk0605 IM RIGHT

**k** @kk0605  · 4/3/20   
You can all blame @/starryatlas for this #svenkira #nsfwExtremely NSFW art of Sven and Akira fucking in an infinite white void. It’s a side profile; Akira is on hands and knees and Sven’s wrapped around him, pelvis pressed firmly against his ass in an indisputable fucking position. Akira’s cock, long and purple and curved, wraps back between his legs to end up in Sven’s ass.

**『 zan 』** @tagteamme · 4/3/20  
@kk0605 I CANT BELIEVE IT YOU ACTUALLY DID IT

**k** @kk0605 · 4/3/20  
@kk0605 @tagteamme I can’t believe it either

**Jae** @yongjae37 · 4/3/20  
@kk0605 that’s a really nice looking tentacle dick?? asdfhjk like the attention to detail is amazing

**k** @kk0605 · 4/3/20  
@kk0605 @yongjae37 Thanks, I used a lot of refs but I looked them all up on my roommate’s computer bc I didn’t want to screw up my search history

**Jae** @yongjae37 · 4/3/20  
@kk0605 @yongjae37 SHGJFDKL you’re so valid k

**lance** @itslanceylance · 4/3/20  
@kk0605 @yongjae37 HEY ARE YOU THE REASON I HAVE TENTACLE DILDO ADS ???? I THOUGHT I GOT HACKED

**k** @kk0605 · 4/3/20  
@kk0605 @itslanceylance I plead the 5th

**ATLAS** @starryatlas · 4/3/20  
@kk0605 FUCK I OPENED THIS AT WORK GHSJFKLGHDFGSK OH MY GOD

**k** @kk0605 · 4/3/20  
@kk0605 @starryatlas You brought this upon yourself

**fwanki** @effitsfwanki  · 4/3/20   
I’M LIVE! working on some svenkira… perhaps feat. tentacles? :3c

**Misty ✨** @KaiserNoire  · 4/3/20   
A #nsfw #svenkira thread for @starryatlas because AKIRA WITH TENTACLE DICK? YES  
Akira and Sven finally are about to have their first time, and Sven is in for a very nice surprise 👀

**👑 $1 billion demon child** @arahir  · 4/3/20   
it’s been literal years since voltron ended and @starryatlas is still out here cursing the fandom and i think that’s beautiful

ATLAS

@starryatlas

**ATLAS** (3:42pm)  


omg i’m still at work and my phone won’t stop blowing up what have you done

**k** (3:46pm)  


Don’t try to blame this on me

It was all you

**ATLAS** (3:49pm)  


noooooo none of this would have happened if you hadn’t beautifully rendered the tentacle dick!!

**k** (3:50pm)  


Beautifully rendered

**ATLAS** (4:07pm)  


yes all your dicks are gorgeous i want to lick them

now stop fishing for compliments and take responsibility!!

**k** (4:10pm)  


Omg I can’t believe you just said that

**ATLAS** (4:11pm)  


i’m a dick licker what can i say

i’m not ashamed

**k** (4:12pm)  


Are you ashamed of anything?

Sorry that was a shitty question, don’t answer that

**ATLAS** (4:39pm)  


no it’s fine, sorry i’m just still at work so i’m a bit distracted

honestly there are a lot of things in my life i’m not proud of, but i’m never going to be ashamed of the people and the things i like

if i like something i’m going to enjoy the hell out of it and i don’t care who knows

life’s too short for caring about that imo

**k** (4:46pm)  


Yeah that makes sense

I really admire you for that

**ATLAS** (4:48pm)  


i might be really off base about this but

i got the sense you don’t really care what people think of you?

**k** (4:48pm)  


Most of the time I think I care too much

It’s easier to pretend not to

**ATLAS** (4:49pm)  


ah yeah i get that

for what it’s worth, i think you’re absolutely amazing, and i know i’m not the only one who thinks that :)

**k** (4:51pm)  


Thank you Atlas

I’m still not letting you blame me for the tentacles

**ATLAS** (4:59pm)  


HEY

i’ll have you know that i would compliment you even if i didn’t want something, you deserve to hear nice words

**k** (5:04pm)  


Sure

**ATLAS** (5:05pm)  


you want me to prove it?

i’ll prove it!!

**k** (5:06pm)  


You really don’t have to do that

Atlas?

**ATLAS** @starryatlas  · 4/3/20   
HEY TWITTER LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH WE LOVE @kk0605 I’LL GO FIRST YOUR ART IS AS STUNNING AS YOUR PERSONALITY AND I LOVE YOU MORE THAN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE :)))

**k** @kk0605 · 4/3/20  
@starryatlas Omg

**ATLAS** @starryatlas  · 4/4/20   
DAY TWO OF PUBLICLY PROCLAIMING HOW MUCH I LOVE @kk0605 DID YOU KNOW THAT HE HAS LITERALLY HELPED OLD LADIES CROSS THE ROAD? WOW WHAT A MAN

**k** @kk0605 · 4/4/20  
@starryatlas Atlas please

**sharki 🦈** @leftishark · 4/4/20  
@starryatlas you guys are so cute! 😂

**ATLAS** @starryatlas  · 4/5/20   
HEY THIS IS A PSA THAT @kk0605 IS THE MOST GORGEOUS MAN TO EVER EXIST PASS IT ON

**k** @kk0605 · 4/5/20  
@starryatlas Stop lying, you don’t even know what I look like

**ATLAS** @starryatlas · 4/5/20  
@starryatlas @kk0605 who’s lying? i know you’re gorgeous inside and out :))

* * *

“One month ago,” Lance proclaims over a plate of leftover pasta, “we heard Mullet say _hell nah_ in the face of an obvious truth. What say you now, Mullet?”

“Why are you like this,” Keith says.

“You mean why am I always right?”

“Shut up, Lance, we’re the ones who had to convince you about Keith’s giant Atlas crush,” Pidge says. “You were just like, _who, him, nah, Keith’s just really really really into his fic_.”

“But was I wrong?” Lance says.

“Yes!”

Keith is really into Atlas’s fic, though. Not that he’d give Lance that kind of ammo.

Lance waves a hand. “All right, look, let’s stop arguing over the past—”

“There is nothing to argue about!”

“—and focus on the fact that Keith and Atlas—Atkeith? Keithlas?—has become a thing, despite the insistence of our naysayer here.”

“Keithlas sounds strangely like Christmas,” Hunk says. “And also, it’s weird to use Keith’s name with Atlas’s pseudonym. It should be Kaylas? Atkay?”

“Well, that just sounds like Pig Latin,” Pidge says.

“Guys,” Keith says. He’d be happy to let them go on their tangents and forget all about him except that their tangent is his and Atlas’s couple name or whatever? And no. Just no. “I already told you, nothing’s going on between me and Atlas.”

“He has literally been proclaiming his love for you all over the TL all week,” Lance says. He pulls out his phone. “Or have you been missing out somehow? Because I can read them to you.”

Keith groans. “Please don’t.”

“No, wait, he’s what?” Hunk says. “Someone send this to me. Come on, guys, you know I’m out of the Twitter loop.”

“The Twitter loop is, Keith is goo goo eyes in love with Atlas, Atlas is goo goo eyes in love with Keith, and they’re both apparently dense as bricks,” Pidge says.

“Atlas isn’t in love with me,” Keith says. “Goo goo eyes or otherwise.”

“Yeah, okay, dude,” Lance says. “So you guys are just flirting literally all the time for no reason.”

“We’re not flirting!” Keith says. “How is anything I’m doing flirting?”

“Literally everything you’re doing is flirting,” Pidge says. She picks up her phone. “I have receipts. Hunk, this is for you, too.”

Keith’s phone starts vibrating with messages. It’s probably all Pidge—but it could also be a message from Atlas, so he checks it quickly. Nope, all Pidge sending messages to their house Discord server, to a channel he’s never seen before called _#keiths-boner-for-atlas_.

“I’m not opening this,” he says. His phone pings again, and again it’s from Pidge. “Any of this.”

“If it makes you feel better,” Pidge says, and his phone pings four more times, “Atlas def flirts back.”

Keith snorts and mutters, “Yeah, right.”

Atlas isn’t flirting with him.

He’d be able to tell.

* * *

**lance** @itslanceylance  · 5/11/20   
the most annoying thing about finals week is seeing @kk0605 draw svenkira porn while the rest of us are studying our brains out

**k** @kk0605 · 5/11/20  
@itslanceylance if you study all semester then you don’t have to cram

**lance** @itslanceylance · 5/11/20  
@kk0605 WHO EVEN DOES THAT

ATLAS

@starryatlas

**ATLAS** (10:24pm)  


good luck on your finals!!

is it sad that i didn’t know you were a student until now?

**k** (10:36pm)  


Nah, I don’t really talk about myself that much

**ATLAS** (10:37pm)  


i’ve noticed :)

mind if i ask what you’re studying?

**k** (10:38pm)  


As long as you’re not weird about it

**ATLAS** (10:38pm)  


?

have people been weird about it to you?

**k** (10:39pm)  


Sometimes? Idk

Anyways it’s aerospace engineering

**ATLAS** (10:39pm)  


WHAT OMG

**k** (10:39pm)  


…

**ATLAS** (10:39pm)  


ME TOO

IM SERIOUS

**k** (10:40pm)  


Really?

**ATLAS** (10:40pm)  


omg this is almost as wild as finding out allura was in my class

you don’t also go to garrison u do you lol

**k** (10:41pm)  


Uh

**ATLAS** (10:41pm)  


OMG??

quick tell me what you think of prof slav

**k** (10:42pm)  


Ugh where do I start

**ATLAS** (10:42pm)  


that’s enough for me

congrats we can still be friends

but also WOW I CANT BELIEVE IT

i want to tell allura but i also understand this is private info so i won’t say anything if you’re not comfortable w it

**k** (10:44pm)  


Um I don’t mind if you tell her as long as she doesn’t tell anyone else

**ATLAS** (10:44pm)  


she’s good at keeping secrets don’t worry :))

wait now i want to know everything

what dorm do you live in? what’s your favorite class?

do they still have sushi friday in the cafeteria and does it still suck?

**k** (10:45pm)  


I don’t think the sushi’s that bad

**ATLAS** (10:45pm)  


k

that rice is an abomination

remind me to take you out to some real sushi when we meet up

**k** (10:46pm)  


Lol when’s that?

**ATLAS** (10:46pm)  


idk but it’s going to happen!!

actually

are you going to AX this year?

you went last year right?

**k** (10:47pm)  


Yeah, I was planning on going this year too

**ATLAS** (10:48pm)  


me too!! we should definitely meet up then!! i’ve never actually been before :))

and not to sound creepy but i live in LA so if you’re still trying to find a place to stay...

i mean it’s may so you probably already have a place but just in case

if you need a reference that i’m not a creeper you can show my pic to iverson

**k** (10:50pm)  


Lol what would he say about you?

**ATLAS** (10:51pm)  


uhh probably that i’m a bad influence lol

okay maybe don’t show it to iverson

show it to holt, he likes me

**k** (10:52pm)  


Wait why would he say you’re a bad influence?

**ATLAS** (10:53pm)  


work hard, play hard… something something

ok look i may have been the reason for the “no more trebuchets on campus” rule

**k** (10:54pm)  


There’s a no trebuchets on campus rule?

**ATLAS** (10:54pm)  


lol yeah i am definitely a bad influence on you

don’t make trebuchets k

**k** (10:55pm)  


What were you even launching?

**ATLAS** (10:55pm)  


no comment you’re going to get me in trouble

**k** (10:55pm)  


Lol you don’t even go here anymore

**ATLAS** (10:56pm)  


THEY’LL KNOW IM CONTRIBUTING TO THE DELINQUENCY OF MINORS

ugh i have an early meeting tomorrow so i have to go to bed

NO TREBUCHETS

and let me know about AX?

even if you don’t stay over i’d still love to meet up with you if you’re ok with that! allura’s coming too

**k** (10:58pm)  


I’ll let you know

But uh

I’m kind of really awkward irl

**ATLAS** (10:58pm)  


me too, we’ll match! :)

**k** (10:58pm)  


Haha if you say so

I’ll get back to you later this week?

**ATLAS** (10:59pm)  


yeah sounds good, i’m still going to be here so take all the time you need :)

**k** (10:59pm)  


Okay, thanks

Good night Atlas ❤️

**ATLAS** (11:00pm)  


good night k! 🖤

* * *

Even if Keith isn’t pulling all-nighters studying for finals, he does still have to do some studying to refresh himself on the material, and between that and the actual exams and having to deal with packing up for the summer, the rest of finals week goes by in a blur.

When it’s time for him and Pidge to leave for their internship, Hunk drives them to the airport, with Lance tagging along for company.

In front of the terminal, Hunk wraps him in a hug, then Pidge. “I’m gonna miss you guys. Can’t believe you’re interning all the way on the East Coast. Remember to call us.”

Lance scoffs. “Keith? Call?”

“Hey!” Keith says. “I call people! Sometimes.”

Pidge pats Hunk’s arm. “Aw, it’s only gonna be a couple months. We’ll see you at AX, yeah?”

Hunk brightens at that. “Oh yeah, I forgot! You’ll be at Pidge’s, right, Keith?”

“Uh,” Keith says. Shit. He’d stayed over at Pidge’s family’s place the past two years; of course they’d all expect him to stay this year, too. But after having time to think about it, he’s had his heart set on going to Atlas’s this year.

He wished he’d have remembered this earlier so he could tell them about it on his own terms, because now everyone’s looking at him, waiting for his answer.

Pidge frowns at him, then at Hunk, who’s going to be interning in the LA area this summer.

“Last I heard, the plan was for Lance to stay at my apartment,” Hunk says. “You know Keith can’t share a room with Lance.”

“I don’t know how you sleep through it,” Keith says.

“For the last time,” Lance says, “I don’t snore!”

“You kind of do, bud,” Hunk says, patting his shoulder. “It’s okay.”

Pidge narrows her eyes at Keith. “Wait, so where are you staying, then?”

“At, uh—” Telling Pidge is a necessary evil, and Hunk is fine, but he really doesn’t want to have to say anything in front of Lance. “I’m staying… at a friend’s.”

The three of them make a dramatic show of looking at each other, and Keith scowls. “I have other friends.”

“Dude,” Lance says. “Name one.”

Ugh, fucking Lance. “James.”

“Uh,” Hunk says. “Didn’t you punch him in the face like two years ago?”

“We both agree he deserved it,” Keith says.

“You’re seriously going to stay over at Griffin’s place for Anime Expo,” Lance says. “Like, that’s a thing you’re actually going to do and think will be fun.”

“I didn’t say I was staying at his place,” Keith says. “You just told me to name a friend.”

“How many more other friends could you have? Unless…” Lance lights up, and Keith has regrets.

Luckily, Pidge whacks him before he can say anything. “Don’t be an ass. Keith doesn’t have to tell us if he doesn’t want to. But if your friend isn’t down for you hanging out with us, that’s a dealbreaker. Because we’re gonna kidnap you whether you like it or not, so you better tell them Saturday is us day.”

“I’m sure he wants to spend time with his own friends too,” Keith says.

“He?” Pidge says.

“He?” Hunk gasps.

“Oh my god I was right,” Lance says, then he sings, “Keith has a boyfriend!”

“Keith has a boyfriend?” Hunk says.

“Keith?” Pidge says. “Has a boyfriend?”

“You’re staying with Atlas, aren’t you?” Lance says.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Keith says, and realizes when Lance crows that it’s as good as a confession.

“I am so proud of you,” Hunk says, looking for all the world like he means every word of it.

“I never thought this day would come,” Pidge says. “But also drop his address in the server so we know where to send the cops if you disappear.”

“He’s not some kind of serial killer,” Keith says, “he’s—”

He clamps his mouth shut. Atlas’s personal details aren’t his to share, and his friends are just looking out for him.

“I’ll put it in spoiler tags,” Keith says. “Don’t look unless it’s an emergency, all right?”

“Yeah yeah,” Pidge says, “who do you think we are?”

Keith gives her a look.

“Point taken,” she says. “I won’t look, promise.”

Lance comes to give Keith a dramatic, long-limbed hug, fake sobbing all the while. “My little Keith’s all grown up. Now remember you’re still a 21-year-old minor. No sexting until you’re 25.”

Keith groans and pushes him off. “Fuck off, Lance. How many times do I have to tell you we’re not dating? He’s probably just going to meet me in person and then never want to have anything to do with me again.”

“I’m, like, a hundred percent sure that’s not going to happen.” Lance says.

Keith raises his eyebrows. Lance is always the one who’ll rib him for being anti-social; he can’t honestly think there’s a chance Keith and all his social awkwardness is going to endear him to Atlas.

“Come on,” Hunk says, bumping shoulders with Keith. “How many people do you even talk to enough to consider them your friends? You don’t use the word lightly. If you and Atlas are already this close, meeting in person’s just going to make you closer.”

“Dude, he likes you,” Lance says. “And according to Pidge, I am shit at noticing things like this, so if even I can see it, then he really really really likes you.”

“It’s true,” Pidge says. “C’mon, Keith, he knows you. If he wasn’t close enough to know you, you wouldn’t call him your friend. And if he invited you to stay at his place, it’s because he wants to know you even better. Doesn’t sound like the kind of guy who’ll get scared off.”

“I guess you’re right,” Keith says. He doesn’t have many friends, it’s true, and Atlas is the newest of them all. But he feels just as close to Atlas, just as willing to open up to him. Maybe that’s for a reason.

Hunk pats his shoulder. “You’re a good guy, Keith, and a good judge of character. Have some faith in your friends, all right?”

Keith takes a deep breath. “All right. Yeah. Thanks, guys.”

Lance whacks his shoulder. “No problem, man.”

“All right,” Pidge says, linking her arm through his. “Let’s get going. It’s time for us to conquer the East Coast!”

* * *

ATLAS

@starryatlas

**k** (1:14pm)  


Hey Atlas, sorry I’m answering your question so late but

Is that offer for AX still on the table?

**ATLAS** (1:14pm)  


always :)

**k** (1:15pm)  


I’ll take you up on it

If that’s okay

**ATLAS** (1:16pm)  


of course!! i’m so excited!! :D

let me know what your travel plans are so we can figure it out? was there anywhere else you wanted to go other than AX while you were down here?

i mean i’m sure you wanted to meet up with some of your own friends too

**k** (1:17pm)  


Haha it’s okay, there’s a lot of time to figure stuff out

But some of my friends and I are cosplaying so I’ll be meeting up with them

For the rest, I’ll let you know after I book my flights and everything?

**ATLAS** (1:18pm)  


yeah for sure!!

i’m so excited to finally meet you in person omg

sorry i’m actually a lot calmer irl so don’t let me scare you off 🖤🖤🖤

**k** (1:20pm)  


That’s okay

Like I said I’m kind of awkward so maybe it’s better if you’re energetic otherwise we might not have anything to talk about

**ATLAS** (1:21pm)  


k we talk for hours every day how are we not going to have things to talk about ghjfksld

**k** (1:21pm)  


Idk sometimes things are different when you meet in person

I really don’t want to disappoint you

Is that weird to say?

**ATLAS** (1:23pm)  


it’s not weird

but i know you

and you’re not going to disappoint me

**k** (1:24pm)  


Haha I won’t hold you to that

**ATLAS** (1:25pm)  


k the first thing i’m going to do when you get here is take your self esteem and feed it so much love

i hope it likes miso

**k** (1:26pm)  


You really don’t have to do that

My self-esteem is fine

**ATLAS** (1:27pm)  


then why won’t you accept my love?? >(

don’t make me announce it to twitter again

**k** (1:28pm)  


Omg please don’t

You’re ridiculous, you know that right?

**ATLAS** (1:29pm)  


buuuuut?

**k** (1:30pm)  


But

I love you

**ATLAS** (1:31pm)  


aww i love you too 🖤🖤🖤

**k** (1:31pm)  


❤️❤️❤️

* * *

“—eith, Keith!”

Keith snaps out of his daze and turns to Pidge, who’s standing next to him, laptop in hand and looking concerned.

“You okay?” she says. “I had to say your name, like, ten times.”

“I, uh…” Keith stands and debates for a moment whether or not to tell her, before deciding that he has to tell someone or he’ll explode. “I said the l-word to Atlas.”

“Leakira?” Pidge says.

“Wha—no!” Keith says. “You know.”

Pidge just keeps staring blankly at him, and even though Keith’s half-convinced she’s doing it just to torture him, he says through gritted teeth, “Love.”

Her jaw drops. “Holy shit.”

“It wasn’t like—like that though,” Keith says. “It was platonic. You know, like. Love you,” he says, socking her on the arm.

Pidge digests that in silence for a moment. “Okay,” she says. “No offense, but that was really weird. Which makes me think it was, in fact, like that.”

Keith crosses his arms. “Whatever. You already know I like him.”

“Uh-huh,” Pidge says. “So what’d he say?”

Keith can feel himself flushing. “Uh, he—he said it back.”

“He what?” Pidge screeches.

“Platonically!” Keith rushes to correct.

“Who said what platonically?” Lance’s voice says through Pidge’s laptop speakers.

“Uh,” Pidge says, turning her laptop around to reveal Hunk and Lance’s faces. “I was coming to get you for our weekly call. I think Hunk and Lance just got on.”

Fuck. “Everything is platonic!” Keith says.

“Wait,” Lance says, the unholy glee back in his voice, “are we talking about Atlas?”

“Ye—” Pidge starts, and Keith clamps a hand over her mouth before she can say anything else, which is a mistake, because she immediately licks him.

He yanks his hand away. “Really?”

“I have an older brother, I have trained to not take that shit,” Pidge says. “Hey, guys, what does it mean when someone says they love you?”

“Um,” Hunk says. “Is this a trick question?”

“Only if you're Keith, apparently,” Pidge says.

“Ooooh!” Lance says, and Keith hates it when he does that. “Keith, something you want to share with the class?”

“Not really,” Keith says.

“Something to do with… Atlas?”

Keith puts a hand on top of Pidge’s laptop. “I’m hanging up on you all.”

Lance mimes zipping his mouth shut. “Not another word out of me. But dude, if he laid that on you, it’s gotta mean something.”

Keith can feel a headache coming on. “What happened to _not another word_?”

“I’m done now!” Lance says.

Keith looks to Pidge.

“What he said,” Pidge says, pointing at Lance.

“It’s not like that,” Keith says, because it isn’t. Atlas is friendly and affectionate; that’s who he is. Keith isn’t anyone special, and it’s best not to get his hopes up.

He can’t get disappointed if he never expects anything in the first place.

* * *

ATLAS

@starryatlas

**ATLAS** (7:28pm)  


one more week! :)

**k** (7:29pm)  


One more week!

**ATLAS** (7:29pm)  


are your cosplays all done?

**k** (7:30pm)  


Yeah, have to finish speed-making some bayards but at least they’re not too complicated

My roommate wanted to make them transformable

I said no way, and especially not with 1 week left

**ATLAS** (7:31pm)  


haha oh man your roommate sounds hardcore

i’m actually part of a paladin group too :D

i didn’t have to make anything though, my friend just tells me what to wear and i wear it

**k** (7:32pm)  


Are you guys dressing up on Sat?

**ATLAS** (7:32pm)  


yeah!

**k** (7:32pm)  


We should meet up, we can take a huge Paladins group pic

Only if you want to, idk if you want to meet my friends?

**ATLAS** (7:33pm)  


i’d love to meet them if you’re ok with it!! i didn’t want to presume anything

**k** (7:33pm)  


Don’t worry, they’d be excited to meet you

Maybe too excited

Don’t take them too seriously, they just like to make fun

**ATLAS** (7:34pm)  


oh don't worry about it, i’ve got friends that make fun of us too

**k** (7:34pm)  


Us?

**ATLAS** (7:34pm)  


sorry not like

not making fun of you, more just teasing me

bc we just became friends so fast I guess haha

**k** (7:35pm)  


Is it really that fast if we've been mutuals for like two years already

**ATLAS** (7:35pm)  


...lol fair

but we haven't really talked until now!

**k** (7:36pm)  


Sorry, that's my fault. I don't really know how to

Talk to people

**ATLAS** (7:36pm)  


hey it takes two to tango

or not tango, in this case ;)

all that to say that i’m sorry i never tried reaching out to you either, you've been a really great friend and i’m just like

why didn't i dm you 2 years ago???

lol

**k** (7:38pm)  


Me too

I still can't believe it's been 2 years already

**ATLAS** (7:38pm)  


but hey we’re here now

and here’s to many years more 🖤

**k** (7:39pm)  


❤️

* * *

ATLAS

@starryatlas

**k** (9:01am)  


Hey just letting you know my flight’s leaving on time

See you soon

**ATLAS** (9:02am)  


okay, fly safe!!

**k** (9:02am)  


Why are you awake already? Isn’t it 6am?

**ATLAS** (9:03am)  


i’m too excited to see you!! don’t judge me

i have to clean the bathroom

**k** (9:05am)  


I have to turn on airplane mode now but GO BACK TO SLEEP YOUR BATHROOM IS FINE

**ATLAS** (9:06am)  


you can’t make me!!

see you soon k 🖤

**k** (9:07am)  


Btw

My name’s Keith

See you soon ❤️

* * *

Pidge gives him a quick hug after they step outside baggage claim. They were going to wait together, but her family’s already waiting for her in one of the parking lots and Atlas already messaged and said he was somewhere nearby. “Give me a text when you get to Atlas’s place? Also text me his license plate number.”

“You’re terrifying,” Keith says. “And I’ll be fine. But I will text you,” he adds at her impatient expression. “Say hi to your family for me. And sorry, again.”

“Just remember to come over for dinner before you leave and they’ll forgive you,” Pidge says, grabbing her luggage. “See you tomorrow!”

He waves as she leaves, and then pulls out his phone. No other messages from Atlas, just the one that says he’s here and waiting.

It was probably a mistake to not send Atlas a photo of himself, he’s realizing, because now he’s the only one who can really look. And it would be weird to send a picture now, when they’re right about to meet in person, wouldn’t it?

He wanders farther down the terminal, checking the cars for anyone who looks like Atlas. In the end, it’s a shock of white hair that catches his eye, attached to a very, very sculpted body leaning against a car door.

That… can’t be Atlas, right? He knows Atlas has a very attractive face, which he’s seen in many selfies now, but… muscles.

That’s too much muscle for a writer.

Then the guy turns around, face scanning the sea of people pouring out of the terminal, and yeah. That’s Atlas.

Keith is very, very boned. Or would like to be.

He musters up his nerve and drags himself towards Atlas. When he gets there, Atlas is distracted looking off to the other side, and Keith clears his throat. “Uh, hey. Atlas?”

Atlas turns around, blinking in surprise, and then his face erupts into a grin. “Keith, you made it! Can I—Do you do hugs?”

Not usually, but Keith makes excuses for people he likes. “Yeah.”

Atlas’s hug is satisfyingly warm and firm, as expected for someone his size, and leaves Keith a bit light-headed. His head only goes up to Atlas’s chest. Okay. Wow. Keith kind of knew he had a size thing, but damn does he have a size thing.

“I’m Shiro, by the way,” Atlas—Shiro—says as he pops open his trunk and helps stow Keith’s bags. He has very nice muscles, and also what looks like a very high-tech prosthetic that glints in the sunlight. “How was the flight?”

“Long.” Layovers are a necessary evil for cheaper flights, but also—they’re evil.

Shiro shuts the trunk, and Keith, well-trained by Pidge, quickly scans the license plate before getting into the passenger’s seat.

“Was the drive okay?” he says.

“Same as usual,” Shiro says, smoothly merging into terminal traffic. “You just get numb to the LA traffic after a while, honestly. Oh, here, I brought water, and some snacks. I wasn’t sure if you’d be hungry. Are you hungry? We could get an early dinner.”

“I had some stuff to eat during my layover so I’m not super hungry,” Keith says, flipping up the top of the bottle. It’s dark grey with a Garrison logo, an older style of the one he has in his bag. “I could eat, though.”

“There’s plenty of places we can stop by on the way back,” Shiro says, glancing at him as he drinks. “Or, I have food at home, too, if you’re tired.”

“If that’s okay.” Keith recaps the bottle. “I don’t want to make you cook, but I kind of feel like a zombie right now.”

“Totally fine,” Shiro says. “Long flights suck.”

“Yeah.” Keith fidgets with his hands and sneaks a glance at Shiro. His easy, kind demeanor is, somehow, exactly like he is online. It’s reassuring. “So, uh, how long have you been in LA?”

“Since I graduated,” Shiro says. “So, a while.”

Keith squints at him. Shiro doesn’t look that old, despite the white hair. He can’t be too much older than Keith. But then again, Shiro does appear to have a car and a stable job and an apartment to himself, which is a pretty intense level of Adult.

“I actually grew up not too far from here,” Shiro says. “My family still lives around here, so I get to see them pretty often. My brother might be coming to AX, actually.”

“You have a brother?”

“We’re twins,” Shiro says, “but we’re pretty different. His style is really, uh, goth-punk? He’s a tattoo artist.”

Goth punk Shiro? Keith can’t imagine it. “Does he have Instagram?”

“Yeah, it’s kuroinks.”

Keith pulls up the page. There aren’t any pictures of the man himself from what he can see, but lots and lots of closeups of his work. His tattoos are gorgeous—all delicate, fine lines and bold watercolor. And it’s mainly nature-related; lots of florals and trees, stars and mountains. A bit of writing. Some figures. But his preferences are clear.

Keith scrolls to the top. _Bookings closed._ He’s not surprised.

“Think your brother will have openings in like two years?” he says. Once he has a job and some money, he would love to get some of those colors on him.

“I’m not above calling in a favor if you want one earlier,” Shiro says, glancing at him. “Are you into tattoos?”

“Yeah, I have one, actually.”

“You do?” Shiro says, turning to him more fully and looking him up and down.

Keith laughs and tries not to flush. “Hey, eyes on the road. Yeah, I do. Do you?”

“Someone had to be Ryou’s first live human,” Shiro says. “It’s under my shirt sleeve. Had to try to put it somewhere I could hide for work.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Keith’s is in an unmentionable place, so he doesn’t mention it.

“So,” Shiro says after a moment, “want me to ask Ryou for you?”

“Honestly, I probably can’t afford him right now, anyway,” Keith says. “And plus, school and all, it probably won’t be easy to find time to sit for it. But thanks for the offer. Maybe later?”

“Yeah, sure,” Shiro says. “You should show him your inks when we meet up, if you’re comfortable with that. He always loves seeing other people’s work.”

Keith coughs. “They’re, uh—the… location… isn’t really appropriate for... public viewing.”

“Oh!” Shiro says, turning pink. “Oh, yeah, that’s. That’d be a problem. For showing it.”

“Yeah,” Keith says, turning away. “It’s just, kind of awkward. If I don’t know him. I could show you, though, if you wanted. Later.”

Keith clenches his nervously rambling mouth shut and tries to avoid looking directly at Shiro because that was a supremely awkward proposition to make and he kind of wishes he could take it back. He just offered to take his pants off for Shiro. Shit.

But Shiro just turns pinker. “Oh,” he says again, gaze flickering from Keith to the road and back again. “If you’re comfortable with that, sure. I’ll show you mine?”

“Deal,” Keith says.

He has no idea what he’s agreeing to.

* * *

Once they get to Shiro’s apartment, Keith takes one look at the living room, abandons decorum, and says, “Would it be okay if I faceplanted on your couch right now?”

“Uh, sure?” Shiro says.

Keith groans as he, indeed, faceplants across Shiro’s large three-seat couch. It is blissfully just as comfortable as it looks, and just what he needs after 10 hours of sitting. “Leave me here to die.”

Shiro laughs. “Guess that flight was rougher than you made it sound.” He rests his hand on Keith’s shoulder, a touch that makes Keith want to burst into flames. “You want more water? Or tea?”

“Maybe just some water,” Keith mumbles, face buried in a maroon throw pillow. “Thanks.”

“One sec.”

It must take longer than a sec, because when Keith blinks his eyes open, there’s drool on the pillow, and outside the window, the sun has almost fully set. It takes him a second to realize where he is.

He literally just fell asleep on Shiro’s couch.

“Oh shit,” he says, jerking to sitting. A fuzzy grey blanket falls off his shoulders onto the couch.

“You okay?” Shiro says. He’s sitting on a cushion on the floor, his laptop screen glowing blue on the coffee table next to him.

“Sorry,” Keith says, his voice sounding like sleep and death, “I totally just knocked out on you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Shiro says. “You seemed really tired. I’m glad you were able to fall asleep like that. I mean, it didn’t seem like the most comfortable, but I didn’t want to move you.”

Yeah, Keith can already feel his neck complaining about it. “That’s okay. Thanks for the blanket.” 

“Of course.” Shiro closes his laptop. “You hungry? I had a bit of dinner while you were out, sorry.”

“No, you’re good.” Keith checks his phone. It’s almost 8pm, which is 11pm for his East Coast-adjusted body. He flops back down onto the couch. “Ugh. I should probably just try to sleep until morning if that’s okay. That flight took a lot out of me.”

“At least come sleep on the bed,” Shiro says, standing up. “I washed the sheets and everything.”

“You have a guest room?” Keith says. He’d conked out before getting the apartment tour, but it hadn’t seemed much larger than a one-bedroom to him.

“No, it’s just the one room,” Shiro says, “but I can’t let you sleep on a couch.”

“What?” Keith says. “I can’t let you sleep on a couch!”

“Well, too bad,” Shiro says. “I’m the host here.”

“Well, too bad the guest is always right,” Keith says. “And the guest says this couch is fine.”

“Kay—Keith.”

“Shiro. Don’t make me fight you in your own home.”

Shiro laughs. “Could you take me?”

Keith sizes him up. Yeah, Shiro’s really fucking built, but technique counts for something. And it’s not like his dad or Kolivan are small people.

Shiro blinks under Keith’s scrutiny. “Oh. Okay, then. Remind me to try you out sometime.”

Okay, what the fuck. Keith blushes. “Uh—”

“Oh god, pretend I didn’t say it like that,” Shiro says, covering his face with a hand. “Mouth filtering is so much easier on the internet.”

“I didn’t hear anything,” Keith says faintly.

“Cool.” Shiro clears his throat. “So, you’re taking the bed, right?”

“Shiro!”

“Keith, I literally can’t sleep on the bed if you’re on the couch,” Shiro says. “My soul will cry. All night.”

Keith’s torn between groaning and laughing. “I can’t believe you’re this extra in person.”

“Never claimed I wasn’t.”

“No, I know,” Keith says. “I’m kind of glad. I thought things might be more awkward, but...”

“It feels like we’ve known each other forever?” Shiro says, leaning on the corner of the couch. He smiles a little. “That’s how I feel, anyway. You haven’t even asked about the arm.” He waggles it.

Keith raises his eyebrows. “Can’t imagine you’d want me to.”

“Doesn’t stop most people.” Shiro pats the couch. “C’mon, at least look at the bed before you reject my hospitality. I even tucked in the covers.”

Keith snorts and follows him down the hall. “Did you Google _how to set up hotel beds_ or something?”

“Uh,” Shiro says. “No comment.”

He pushes open the door, and he definitely looked up _something_ on the internet, because there’s a towel folded into the shape of a swan on the bed. On the very big bed. “Dude, your bed is huge.”

“I mean, I’m kind of—” Shiro gestures to himself.

“Yeah,” Keith says, “but we could probably both fit on here.” He turns quickly to catch Shiro’s surprised expression. “Not if you don’t want to, but if we’re gonna keep fighting about the bed then—”

“No, that’s—yeah, sure, if that’s okay with you,” Shiro says, scratching his head. “Uh, I have a body pillow in the closet I could put between us, if that helps.”

“Yeah, that works,” Keith said. Honestly, it’s kind of weird. But it’s fine if it makes Shiro comfortable, and if it means he’ll actually sleep on his own bed.

Shiro pauses halfway inside his closet. “Uh, would you mind turning around?”

“I don’t mind sleeping with an Akira daki,” Keith says as he turns around, and behind him, he hears Shiro choke. “I know you bought one from Romelle. I was helping her ship.”

“Dammit Romelle,” Shiro mutters. “I thought we were friends.”

“Does that mean I can turn around now?”

“Fine,” Shiro says, sounding resigned, and Keith turns around to find him delicately pulling the covers over Akira’s scantily-clad body.

“I have the Sven one,” Keith says, even though Romelle forced it upon him, “if that makes you feel better.”

“Maybe a little bit,” Shiro says. He’s a bit pink, and he’s not looking at Keith. “Do you want to use the bathroom first?”

“Sure,” Keith says, saving him from his misery. And he really feels like he could use a shower. 

He takes the towel swan from the bed and heads into the bathroom. It’s a very clean bathroom, as he should expect from someone who got up early to clean it. The towels are neatly hung, the counters are clear, and there is actually a potted plant on the toilet.

Keith can’t resist a smile as he washes up.

He emerges fresh and in pajamas, and Shiro shows him where he can plug in his chargers before heading into the bathroom himself. Keith climbs into the bed and scrolls mindlessly on Twitter as he waits.

When Shiro comes back into the bedroom, he’s shirtless. Keith tries not to stare and fails miserably.

“You, uh, wanted to see the tattoo, right?” Shiro says. He sits down on the bed, a more-than-appropriate distance away from Keith, with his shoulder facing him.

Keith leans a bit closer to see. It’s certainly different from what he saw on Shiro’s brother’s account—darker colors and thicker lines and also, not a flower. It’s the head of a lion, geometric and black, with glowing yellow eyes.

“He said he came up with the design one day and knew it was for me,” Shiro says. “I thought he was just making fun of me or something, but then he sent it to me and… here we are.”

“It’s gorgeous,” Keith says, and he has to resist the urge to trace it with his finger. Is this the universe where soulmate marks are real? “Actually, I—do you still want to see mine?”

“If you want to show me,” Shiro says as he pulls a shirt on. It does amazing things for his muscles, and Keith is momentarily distracted. “But nbd if you don’t.”

Keith coughs. “Did you just say _nbd_ out loud?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“It’s the same number of syllables as _no big deal_.”

“But look at all those consonants,” Shiro says. “So tiring.”

“You’re so ridiculous,” Keith says as he takes hold of his waistband. “Okay, don’t freak out.” He tries not to blush as he shimmies his pants down. Unfortunately they have to go pretty far down there; his tattoo is low on his hip, on the crease of his pelvis and thigh. He glances up at Shiro, who seems to be simultaneously looking and not-looking. “You can get closer.”

Shiro dutifully scoots closer to look. “Wow. This is…” He breaks off and laughs. “I can’t believe we match.”

Because Keith’s is a lion, too. It’s smaller than Shiro’s, which takes up the whole width of his shoulder, and red, but it’s got the same glowing yellow eyes and the same kind of geometric design.

“It just came to me one day,” Keith says. “I knew I had to get it.”

“You designed it?” Shiro says, swaying a bit closer. He looks like he wants to touch, too. Keith would let him, if he didn’t think offering would freak Shiro out. “It’s amazing.”

“Thanks,” Keith says. “Not super original, I guess, if you’ve got one too.”

“Who knows?” Shiro leans back. “If you put it online, maybe Ryou saw it and got inspired.”

Keith pulls his pants back up. “Maybe. I feel like everything would be too much of a coincidence at that point.”

“Coincidence?” Shiro says, grinning. “Or fate?”

Keith laughs. “Maybe.”

Pulling Shiro’s name for the Valentine’s exchange was some kind of act of fate for sure. Keith wouldn’t mind another.

* * *

They get up early the next morning to go pick Shiro’s friends up before heading to the convention center. Shiro offered to drive, he explains, because he has the biggest trunk and his friends need it for all their cosplay stuff. 

Shiro blushes all through the morning because it turns out he’s a cuddler, and Keith woke up buried in Shiro-limbs, Akira crushed under them. Keith tried to assure him it was fine, but Shiro stayed pink and apologetic. It’s actually kind of cute, not that Keith would say that out loud.

He’s still a little pink twenty minutes later as he’s backing into the driveway of a house that probably only looks familiar because it looks exactly like all the other houses in whatever suburby section of LA they’re in.

“We usually load up from the garage,” Shiro says. “You wanna stay in the car? It shouldn’t take long.”

“Sure,” Keith says. Shiro looks like he needs some time away from Keith to reset his pink state.

Shiro flashes him a quick grin and tosses the keys at him. “Just one minute.”

Keith waits about a minute and a half before he decides he can be somewhat useful. He pops open the trunk and rearranges the random reusable shopping bags and emergency gear and windshield sunshade to make a flat surface for the props.

All of that takes only maybe another minute, and now he's stuck standing next to an open trunk. He pulls out his phone to go on Twitter or something when the garage whirs to life in front of him.

Pidge stares back at him from the other side.

“Uh,” Keith says. “Hi? Is this... your house?”

Seriously, why do all the streets and houses look the same?

“Uh, yeah?” Pidge frowns between him and the car. “What're you—oh. Oh man. Holy shit. It's Shiro? I've read Shiro’s gay porn?”

“You've read my what?” Shiro says faintly from behind her.

“You know,” Matt says, slinging an arm over Shiro’s shoulders, “it's taken much longer than expected for this day to come. But now that it has, we can vow to never speak of it again. As I did when I caught Shiro looking at some explicit A/B/O—”

“Okay, Matt,” Shiro says loudly, and he mouths _sorry_ at Keith.

Matt just grins. “Moving on. Sup Keith, we've missed your presence at our humble abode this year. E.g., Mom keeps asking about you so you better say sorry to the stud muffin you ditched us for and come over for dinner before you leave.”

“Uh,” Keith says again, staring right at Shiro's surprised face.

His entire plan, laid bare by one stupid sentence from Matt. He's ready to drop dead now.

“Unless you've already ditched him,” Matt says, looking up and down the street. “Where is he? Did you catch an Uber?”

“He came with me,” Shiro says. “That is, Keith’s staying with me.”

“Oh?” Matt says. He looks at Shiro, then Keith, then Pidge, who is smirking back. “Oh. Ohohohoho!”

“Please stop laughing like that,” Shiro says, with no small amount of pain. “How do you know Keith?”

“Pidge and I are roommates,” Keith says, and Shiro looks very, very surprised by that.

Silence falls after his statement, broken by a cough from Matt.

“And with that, I'm just gonna go bring down the rest of the props,” Matt says. “Come on, Pidge!”

The Holts scurry off, leaving them alone again.

“Um,” Shiro says, looking extremely awkward. “Sorry if this is weird, I probably should have asked before, but. How old are you?”

All right, not the question he was expecting.

“Twenty-one?” Keith says, and Shiro relaxes a bit. “Why, how old are you?”

“Twenty-seven.” Shiro scratches his head. “Sorry, when you said you lived with Pidge, it freaked me out for a second.”

“Pidge is a pretty unique kind of kid genius,” Keith says, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “So, uh… you're not mad I lied to stay with you?”

“What do you mean?” Shiro says, looking and sounding genuinely confused.

Keith isn’t sure if Shiro missed the part where Matt outed him or if he just didn’t care. But now Keith has to explain. “I could've just stayed here, but I said I didn't have any plans yet.”

“Well,” Shiro says, “if your friendship with the Holts is anything like mine, it was probably more of a vague implicit agreement than anything? I mean, I'm glad you stayed with me, so I'm not exactly complaining. Also, you wouldn't be the only person between the two of us doing underhanded things, so.”

“What?” This is news to Keith. He can’t imagine Shiro being underhanded at all. “What'd you do?”

Shiro cringes. “Mine is way worse than yours. I'm actually really embarrassed to say.”

It can’t possibly be that bad, with Shiro being Shiro.

“Do you regret it?” Keith says.

Shiro blinks and looks surprised by the question, but then he softens and says, “Not at all. I—don’t judge me too much for this, okay?”

“I lied my way into your house,” Keith says. “I really don't think this could be worse.”

Shiro laughs. “If you say so. Um, basically, I, uh, I asked Allura to match me with you for the Valentine’s exchange so I'd have an excuse to give you something for Valentine’s Day and talk to you. I sent her crying cat memes for weeks when I got someone else, but then you posted your gift for me and. Yeah.”

“Oh my god,” Keith says. “You rigged the exchange.”

That’s a level of manipulation he never even considered from anyone, much less Shiro.

Shiro buries his face in his hands. “I told you mine was worse!”

“I never would've thought you had it in you,” Keith says. He's actually kind of impressed.

“I know!” Shiro says. “Oh my god it's so embarrassing.”

Keith laughs. “I’m, uh. I’m kind of flattered, actually. You did that just to talk to me? Why?”

“Well now we’re getting to the super embarrassing part,” Shiro says, looking away. The pink is back in his face. “I kind of… have a crush on you.”

Keith gapes at him.

“Oh god this is really awkward now, isn’t it,” Shiro says. “I’m so sorry, I know you’re just being friendly and you don’t feel the same, I really wasn’t planning on saying anything, and you don’t have to come back with me, you can stay here after and I can bring your stuff—”

“Shiro,” Keith says, grabbing one of his flailing arms. “I took off my pants for you.”

“Um?” Shiro says, frozen half-flail. “I thought you were just showing me your tattoo?”

“How many people do you think I go showing off my tattoo to?” Keith says, stepping closer. “My tattoo, which is next to my dick.”

“Um?” Shiro says again. “Probably… not a lot of people?”

“Shiro,” Keith says, “I’ve had a crush on you for like, two years.”

“Me—Me too,” Shiro says, wide-eyed.

They stare at each other, and then burst out laughing.

“Shit,” Keith says, “I think we just re-enacted one of your fics.”

“You should’ve known I’d be like this!” Shiro says. “I warned you in every fic! You have to tell me to my face or I’m just going to be a disaster about it!”

Keith laughs, and reaches up, and kisses him in a way that’s unmistakable.

* * *

**ALTAS** @starryatlas  · 7/3/20   
.@kk0605 just made me the luckiest man in the world :)))

**romelle!** @mellyarts · 7/3/20  
@starryatlas AAAAAA ARE YOU AND K GETTING MARRIED????

**ATLAS** @starryatlas · 7/3/20  
@starryatlas @mellyarts omg NO we JUST STARTED DATING, ROMELLE

**romelle!** @mellyarts · 7/3/20  
@starryatlas @mellyarts what?? haven’t you been dating for a while??

**artsy-yoda** @_artsy_alice · 7/3/20  
@starryatlas @mellyarts yeah wait atlas weren’t you talking about how much you loved k a while ago?

**ATLAS** @starryatlas · 7/3/20  
@starryatlas @mellyarts @_artsy_alice FRIEND LOVE!! FRIEND. LOVE.

**admiral 👊** @disloyalpunk · 7/3/20  
@starryatlas @mellyarts @_artsy_alice oh what i totally thought you guys were already dating too

**ATLAS** @starryatlas  · 7/3/20   
no, k was not my boyfriend until today, everyone can stop DMing me about this now  
i’m a disaster at romance, you all have read my fics so i don’t know why this is surprising

**k** @kk0605 · 7/3/20  
@starryatlas You’re a disaster at more than just romance  
But I wouldn’t have you any other way

**ATLAS** @starryatlas · 7/3/20  
@starryatlas @kk0605 🖤

**k** @kk0605 · 7/3/20  
@starryatlas @kk0605 ❤️

**Author's Note:**

> thank you to everyone who's supported me in writing this, especially [allie](https://ao3.org/users/artenon) and [faia](https://ao3.org/users/FaiaSakura) for betaing! thank you also to everyone who volunteered to have their twitter presences featured in this fic. i wish i could have fit in more of you! ♥
> 
> and also a special thank you to all of sheith fandom! never have i experienced such chaos and joy, and within this fic is all of my love for all of you. thank you so much, for everything ♥
> 
> and thank you so much for reading! ♥  
> i love, appreciate, and reply to all comments, even if it takes me a little while to get to them :)
> 
> catch me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/ailurea)!


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